Blackjack continues to be a highly popular table game played in substantial numbers of casinos. Its popularity has spawned variants of the game, together with accompanying features or side bets that can be played while playing conventional Blackjack. One variant is the Spanish 21® card game, which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,888. An example of an accompanying feature to a Blackjack game is the feature or game identified as Match The Dealer®, which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,846.
A recent variant of traditional Blackjack is the casino table game identified by Down Under Blackjack™. Part of the play of Down Under Blackjack™ involves providing the player(s) with information about the dealer's down (unexposed or down facing) card. In one embodiment, certain indicia, colors or other markings are provided on the card backs of playing cards having conventional card fronts. The particular markings depend on the rank of the particular playing card. For cards having a rank in the range of 2-5 (small card), a first predetermined marking is provided on each card. For cards having a rank in the range of 6-9 (medium card), a second predetermined marking is provided on each card. For cards having a rank in the range of 10-ace (large card), a third predetermined marking is provided on each card. After the initial two cards are dealt to the dealer, including the dealer's down card, the dealer determines, using the marking on the down card, whether that down card is a designated small, medium or large card. Depending on that determination, the dealer places at least the dealer's down card in one of three predetermined areas or sections provided on the casino table game layout. Each of these predetermined areas corresponds to one of a small, medium or large card. Once placed, each player has information regarding the rank of the dealer's down card. For example, if the down card is placed in the predetermined area corresponding to a small card, each player has the information that the dealer's down card is one of a 2, 3, 4, or 5. Each player can use such information in conjunction with his/her decision to continue to play the game and trying to beat the dealer's ultimate hand. Because the Down Under Blackjack™ game includes this additional information that favors the player, some conventional Blackjack game rules and payouts change to take into account that advantage.
As understood from the foregoing description of the Down Under Blackjack™ game, changes to conventional playing cards are required in order to provide additional information to the players about the dealer's down card. It would, however, be worthwhile or beneficial to be able to provide the same information to the players while using conventional, unmodified playing cards for the Down Under Blackjack™ game.
The use of a card reading device to obtain playing card information is well-known. One such device is described in one or more embodiments disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,039 issued Oct. 28, 1997 to Miller and entitled “Card Reader for Blackjack Table.” Technologies that utilize computer components for determining the rank of a conventional playing card have also been devised. In that regard, see U.S. Pat. No. 8,150,158 issued Apr. 3, 2012 to Downs III, entitled “Unique Sensing System and Apparatus for Reading Playing Cards” and one or more of the numerous patents noted and/or cited therein. Although such prior devices or systems may be appropriate for their noted applications, it would be advantageous to provide a playing card reading apparatus that functions effectively and efficiently with the Down Under Blackjack™ game, while the installation and use of such an apparatus are facilitated and straightforward.